Statesboro, Ga. - The Stetson volleyball team fell 3-1 to Troy in the season opener for both squads Friday afternoon at the Holiday Inn Georgia Southern University Invitational.  Set scores were 25-18, 25-13, 22-25, 25-9.  Freshman setter Kelli Carneal (Fredericksburg, Va.) tallied 18 assists, eight kills and five digs in her collegiate debut to lead the Hatters.

Stetson struggled to get anything going until the third set; even a late run at that point to force a fourth set could not spark the Hatters to get back in the match and tie the score.  Troy put the fourth set and the match away with a closing 18-4 run.

The Hatters hit just .107 in the match, although Carneal hit .300 herself.  Junior outside hitter Stephanie Canfield (Panama City, Fla.) notched seven kills and seven digs while senior libero Anna Becker (McLean, Ill.) came up with 10 digs.

Troy's attack punished the Hatters all match long as five different Trojans hit at least .333 and the team collectively killed the ball at a powerful .366 clip.  Meghan Gilroy led the way with 20 kills and Brittany McClelland added 15 kills.  Troy setter Megan Henderson put up a near triple-double with 51 assists, six kills and eight digs; Emily Strader's 12 digs led all players in the match.

Stetson concludes the tournament tomorrow with a pair of matches; the Hatters face host Georgia Southern at 12 p.m. and Presbyterian at 5 p.m.